As MGM Resorts continue to expand and modernize their portfolio of properties in Las Vegas, the momentum picks up with the recently launched Delano Las Vegas. Bullz-Eye visited the new resort recently and found out exactly what the hype was all about with the Delano opening her doors in Vegas. With its all-suite boutique offering, Delano Las Vegas (which is the same building as the former The Hotel) brings the effortless style and unparalleled service of the original Delano South Beach to the energy and buzz of the Las Vegas Strip.

When you first enter the Delano Las Vegas, you know there is something different about this hotel, from the private and separate entrance from the attached Mandalay Bay resort and Casino, to the natural desert fixtures welcoming you to the true desert resort. This all-suite oasis features rooms with a clean color palette of whites and neutrals, like the 725 square-foot king suite, which incorporates Delano’s iconic window sheers, crisp white linens and oversized tufted headboards, updated with playful gold accents for a bold and modern touch. Each suite features a private bedroom with a king-sized bed, a spacious spa-style bath and separate living room with its own powder room. Clean and neat is measured to the max and we appreciated the understated luxury that was very cool without trying too hard.

We started most days at the 3940 coffee and tea joint on the lobby floor. Inspired by the shaded area of a sun-drenched desert, 3940 is a comfortable retreat featuring mid-century modern furniture, plush sofas and communal seating. The ceiling’s unique lighting features cast a patterned glow to the comfortable surroundings, where we lounged and unwound by the marble fireplace or in the alluring living room. The menu is perfect for a quick bite or refreshing beverage and one can enjoy one of their many artisanal teas, freshly squeezed juices and signature coffees, or perhaps sample one of the signature menu items such as our Breakfast Burrito and Ham & Brie Paninis. The granola with yogurt was superb and was a smart healthy option.

We also indulged in a full breakfast spread at Dellas’s Kitchen where the food will fill you up and the people watching is at a very high level. Creating an essence of “historic farmhouse meets urban kitchen,” Della’s Kitchen serves breakfast and lunch with an elegant combination of classics, comfort food and seasonal specialties centered around fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Located just steps from the Delano lobby, it blends natural design elements with industrial materials to exude a warm, comfortable simplicity that quietly entices guests to savor each bite and treasure every encounter.

There are a few great pre- and post-dinner spots in Delano Vegas that will surely add excitement to your evening. At Franklin, enjoy craft cocktails, Cubano Sliders and converse in the seductive lobby bar featuring a deep color palette of dark blues and bronze. Tiny lights descend from the ceiling to create the effect of fireflies in the evening sky. Gold lighting accents and cocktail tables add a touch of glamour to the room, with dramatic navy sheers draping from above. As the day turns to night, immerse yourself in the sounds of DJs and eclectic beats.

As much as we enjoyed spending some time at Franklin, the miX Lounge was easily our favorite spot to put down a few drinks. miX Lounge provides a lavish atmosphere that architecturally astonishes with an ingenuous and Kubrick-esque vibe that is the imaginative work of designer Patrick Jouin. Exciting cocktail concoctions and an innovative bar menu can be found at miX Lounge, featuring light bites for guests to choose from like Mini Beef Short Rib Tacos with guacamole and créme fraiche, Sweet & Sour Duck Spring Rolls and Fried Crab Cakes with homemade tartare sauce. The Lounge is decked entirely in dark brown faux leather form floor to ceiling and also offers custom designed seats with aluminum tables. The bar top is crafted of glass panels encasing tiny suspended air bubbles as part of a coral-colored “moon rock” of perforated and backlit fiberglass that serves as the backdrop for the central bar alongside rising DJ talents spinning seven days a week. Jouin created an impressive and pulsating fiber optic Milky Way which streams across the lounge sky. The awe-inspiring interiors are equaled only by the panoramic views afforded from every seat through the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that gaze out 400 feet above the neon desert. Custom furniture, including large lounge beds and aluminum cocktail tables topped with glowing candles, complete the one-of-a-kind outdoor experience, which provides the best open-air view of the Strip.

A few steps away from miX Lounge is miX at Delano, which is clearly one of the best spots for a dinner for two or a group event. Culinary artistry with a strong Franco-American influence, edgy lounge style interior design created by Patrick Jouin and a breathtaking view of the Las Vegas Strip is the miX, a new venue imagined by Alain Ducasse. Signature dishes, original creations from Executive Chef Bruno Riou and fine wines from a cellar 5,000 bottles-strong are served in this transparent showcase of a room, crowned in a halo of bubbles made from Murano glass. Make sure you make reservations in advance as the miX is becoming one of the hottest restaurants in Las Vegas!

There is much more to Delano Las Vegas to explore, such as the BATHHOUSE Spa, which some of the guests just raved about. Tucked away in Delano Las Vegas, the elegant BATHHOUSE Spa features steam rooms and saunas, as well as 12 treatment rooms where you can enjoy massages, wraps and facials. Treatments include Desert Sage and Lemon Blossom oil, which honor the Southwest desert environment, while warm stones penetrate the muscles and melt away stress, encouraging deeper relaxation throughout the entire body.

There are also two different pool and beach options to choose from that will suffice even the harshest pool critics. Moorea Beach Club provides a private, sophisticated European bathing experience. Enjoy Daylife with fantastic views of the Toptional beach, cushioned chaise lounges, poolside massage services and the most attentive personal attendants in Las Vegas. Moorea features day beds, opium beds and pavilions available for a daily fee. Rental fees do not include club admission. Guests must be 21 years or over to enjoy the Moorea experience. Service is top notch, and the cool people flock here, not to be seen, but to get away from it all and socialize in a relaxed setting. Delano Las Vegas will also feature its own private pool just steps from the sand and surf of Mandalay Bay Beach and wave pool. Embracing the laidback South Beach lifestyle, the pool will offer guests an exclusive locale to relax in the sun when it opens sometime in 2015.

Added to all of the above was a one-of-a-kind show steps away in Mandalay Bay. We experienced the Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque De Soleil, which is special is so many ways. Driven by Michael’s powerful, multi-layered music – heard like never before in a riveting, state-of-the-art surround-sound environment – ONE takes the audience through a series of seamless visual and musical tableaux, at the heart of a world that is in turn majestic, playful, magical and heart-warming. ONE is a heartfelt tribute to the work, innovative spirit and legacy of Michael Jackson – the King of Pop, the genius, the visionary, the One. We don’t want to give away too much, but the hologram is beyond realistic and something everyone in our group found amazing!

We continued to hang in the Mandalay Bay and checked out LIGHT Nightclub, which is the first club to incorporate the Cirque De Soleil creative minds for a unique theatrical nightlife experience. Headlining DJs and performers lead the charge, coupled with exclusively build performance elements and visuals. At LIGHT, guests enter the realm of the unknown, where no two nights are the same.

Gambling is also steps away in Mandalay Bay for those who want to hit the tables or slots, but for the times you want to enjoy a luxurious escape from the hustle and bustle, just sit back and enjoy everything the Delano Las Vegas has to offer.

There is plenty of buzz in Las Vegas around the transformation taking place at Mandalay Bay. Bullz-Eye had the opportunity to learn about the many facets of this exciting undertaking from Chuck Bowling, President & COO of Mandalay Bay during our Mlife experience in April.

Yes, Mandalay Bay is currently undergoing its first major property-wide transformation since opening in 1999, from the premiere of Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson ONE to the debut of the Delano Las Vegas, a new all-suite boutique hotel within the resort. The 120-acre resort is collaborating with brands such as Morgans Hotel Group, Cirque, The Light Group and Four Seasons to create a totally new experience for its guests.

Some of the highlights include:

· Delano Las Vegas – Later this year, Mandalay Bay and Morgans Hotel Group will begin the transformation of THEhotel at Mandalay Bay into Delano Las Vegas, a new all-suite hotel scheduled to open in early 2014 that will embody the soul of Delano South Beach with Vegas flair.

· Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas – Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas, located on floors 35-39 of Mandalay Bay, began the year with a complete renovation of all 424 guest rooms and suites inspired in part by the vibrant Art Deco period. This spring, Four Seasons also introduced Press, a new indoor/outdoor lobby bar that creates an energetic social hub that evolves from espressos in the morning to draft beers and wine at night.

· Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil – June 29, the resort will debut Michael Jackson ONE, a permanent Cirque du Soleil production that will bring to life the King of Pop’s music while celebrating his worldwide legacy.

· LIGHT Nightclub – Memorial Day Weekend, Mandalay Bay will unveil LIGHT Nightclub by The Light Group, a venue that combines the imagination and artistry of Cirque du Soleil with a roster of top DJs in the world. Designed to bring a unique, memorable experience each evening, LIGHT will tantalize senses with state-of-the-art production and theatrics.

· DAYLIGHT Beach Club – Also opening Memorial Day Weekend and just in time for the 2013 summer season, The Light Group’s DAYLIGHT Beach Club will be a departure from traditional Vegas pool parties, transporting guests from the hustle and bustle of The Strip to a 50,000-square-foot upscale and chic tropical oasis.

· KUMI Japanese Restaurant & Bar – Opening summer 2013, The Light Group will team with Chef Toshiyuki Motoyama to offer fun and approachable Japanese cuisine for an American palate, using fresh and innovative ingredients. As Executive Sushi Chef, Motoyama will combine his traditional edomae background with influences of Thai, Peruvian, Latin and other Asian cultures to always keep Kumi’s dishes interesting and exciting.

· Citizens Kitchen & Bar – Citizens Kitchen & Bar opened in February and features The Light Group’s Executive Chef Brian Massie’s creative and contemporary take on American comfort food. The menu features a wide range of signature favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner with highlights including Maryland Blue Crab Cakes, Southern Fried Chicken and Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf.

· Red Square – The Light Group recently relaunched the popular restaurant as a revitalized dinner, cocktail and nightlife destination. The exquisite menu – featuring easy-to-share plates including Tuna Tartare, Chicken Kiev with Bacon Brussels Sprouts and an impressive caviar selection – takes on contemporary American favorites and infuses them with unique Russian influences.

We were already huge fans of Mandalay Bay, and it appears that when this incredible transformation is complete, the “new” Mandalay Bay will be unique to any other offering in Vegas. Can’t wait to check it out!!